Mystery in Titusville woman's disappearance; husband arrested on separate charges

Titusville detectives are talking with potential witnesses and searching for information following the mysterious disappearance of a woman reported missing Tuesday.

The woman's husband was charged Wednesday evening on separate offenses in connection with the case. Police say Lori Lynn Upthegrove, 51, of Titusville, is considered endangered. 

Officers responded to the Days Inn on State Road 50 in Titusville to question Timothy Upthegrove about his missing wife, Lori. Reports indicate Tim had been driving Lori's white Isuzu Rodeo, which was found parked outside the motel.

Upthegrove's family last saw her on Sunday at her home in the 600 block of Cleveland Street. 

In interviews with police, Timothy initially told officers that Lori had driven her car away Monday morning and that he later found it abandoned at the State Road 50 Sav-A-Lot location and brought it to the motel.

Shortly after, he changed his story, telling police that Lori hadn't driven the truck away and that she had thrown the keys at him. 

"Based off of the information we were getting during the investigation, we were beginning to believe Lori may have been met with foul play," the arrest report states. 

Officers said that Tim Upthegrove, 53, obstructed their investigation and arrested him for resisting an officer without violence just after 9 p.m. Wednesday. 

Crime scene investigators and detectives were seen at the Cleveland Street home of the couple. Police dogs were also called out on the search. Upthegrove is 5-feet-7 inches tall, and is about 150 pounds. She has brown hair and brown eyes.

William Jenkins, a longtime friend of Lori's, said friends and family of hers have been worried sick since her disappearance. Jenkins said nobody has heard from her, "none of her friends. People that knew her. Nobody has seen or heard from her since."

"If they got into an argument and she just went off walking, why has nobody heard from her?" Jenkins wondered.

A Facebook post Jenkins made about Lori's disappearance garnered nearly 600 shares. 

"We're all hoping for the best, but a lot of us ... we don't have a good feeling about the situation," Jenkins said. 

Contact Vazquez at tvazquez@floridatoday.com, 321-917-7491 or on Twitter @tyler_vazquez.